Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.
What He'd Been Missing
Nightwing emerged from the crime lab, exhausted after hours of paperwork and villain research. He was far from finished, but he needed another cup of coffee, so he allowed himself one short break.
He slid open the doors to the Ops room and headed straight for the coffee pot, completely unaware of anything around him. He poured his cup and slowly sipped. He was staring off into blank space, stressing over the immense amount of paperwork that still awaited him, when his thoughts were interrupted by giggling and cooing.
He turned his attention over to the couch, where an emerald-eyed young woman sat in a pair of Care Bear pajama pants and a purple tank top, a seven-month old baby girl in her lap. The baby reached up and freed a fistful of her mama's scarlet hair from an already messy bun. "Mari!" the mother laughed, playfully scolding her daughter. "The tickle monster's coming for you!" she teased before tickling the little girl, leaving them both laughing. The young mother kissed her child as they calmed down, and she began gently rocking the girl in her arms, singing in a beautiful, mellifluous voice. The child clapped happily and smiled as she tried to sing along.
Nightwing couldn't help but smile at the sweet scene, but it left him sad and wistful at the same time. This is what he'd been missing. Every time he locked himself in the lab, every time he ignored the pleads for him to come out, every time he put work over family, he was missing these precious, irreplaceable moments.
As he came to the end of his cup, he had to make a decision. He did not even bother to think it over. His choice was clear.
"Hey Kori," he said wrapping his arm around his young wife and planting a kiss on her cheek, "How are my two favorite girls?" She sat in mild shock for a moment at her husband's presence before finally replying, "Hello Richard! You are finished with your paperwork?" "Not quite, but the paperwork can wait. My family is more important to me," he answered smiling. This earned him a kiss from his wife and a giggle and laugh from Mari at the prospect of a new playmate.
Looking at his perfect little family, he thought to himself, "I always say: I'm a hero first. Well, it's about time to be their hero."